Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base
Summary
The Army, Navy, and Air Force have reinstated the flu vaccine requirement for basic trainees after a flu outbreak at a Texas Air Force base sickened over 220 recruits and hospitalized four. This decision reverses a recent policy change by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had removed the flu shot mandate earlier this year.Key Facts
- At least 222 recruits fell ill with the flu at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.
- Four recruits were hospitalized due to the flu outbreak.
- One recruit, Keon McDaniel, died during basic training; it is unclear if his death was flu-related.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had dropped the flu shot requirement in April, calling it “not rational.”
- Only about 40% of new Air Force trainees at the base were vaccinated against the flu.
- The Pentagon granted exceptions to bring back the flu vaccine policy for Army, Navy, Air Force, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Health Agency.
- The flu vaccine mandate aims to protect military readiness and prevent disease spread in close living conditions.
- The U.S. military first required flu shots in 1945 and has a long history of using vaccines to protect soldiers from infectious diseases.
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